Dolly Parton Fulfills Promise To Provide Aid To Fire Victims

Country music star Dolly Parton’s pledge to help Tennessee Great Smoky Mountain Fire victims has been completed. Parton, with the help of her foundation, the Dollywood Foundation, and the My People Fund – a fund she created – promised to give displaced families $1,000 per month for six months. As of last Friday, six months after the first check was written in December, the final checks have been cut.

By the end of the six months, the “My People Fund was able to increase the amount of the final distribution check from $1,000 to $5,000 per family,” according to a statement made by the My People Fund. All in all, Parton was able to distribute $8.9 million directly to wildfire victims.

Fires in the Smoky Mountains began in November 2016. On the fire’s first day, 14 people were killed.

The fire has mostly slowed down but flare ups continue today.

Parton was born in the Smoky Mountains region, wrote recently about how close she feels to those who also grew up and now live there – hence the name of her foundation, “My People.”

“My family and my mountains are where my roots are and where my strength has always come from, especially during hard times,” Parton wrote in an op-ed for CNN.

“It goes a lot farther than your kinfolk. Your Neighbors are you family ‘cause they take care of you, too, and I’ve always thought of everybody in my mountains as part of my family.”

Because of her close connection to those with a similar background, Parton felt it was her duty to help, just as her neighbors would help out her family if necessary.

“I knew that my people had helped me out through the years – been there and helped see me make all my dreams come true. And I was going to do everything I could to put their dreams back on track, too,” Parton said.

Even though Parton and the My People Fund has meet their goal, the fund has recently announced a partnership with the Mountain Tough Recovery Team. Together, they will provide an additional $3 million in support over the next several months.